Els makes his move

World number eight Ernie Els made his intentions clear as he leapfrogged compatriot Trevor Immelman to take the early lead in the final round of the SAA Open at Humewood Golf Club in Port Elizabeth.

The South African started three shots behind overnight leader Immelman but quickly rattled off the birdies as the wind picked up in earnest on the links course.

Immelman began well but started struggling in the conditions and slipped up on the par-three sixth, where Els took the lead.

Els had already picked up birdies on two and five to close the gap to one stroke and then put his tee shot within four feet of the pin as he upped the ante.

Immelman, by contrast, caught a gust of wind that sent his ball right onto the lip of the green and rolled off into the bunker.

Immelman’s chip onto the green rolled some eight feet past the hole, and he two-putted to take the bogey. Els birdied to move into the lead with a two-shot swing on the hole.

Sweden’s Patrik Sjoland picked up two shots in the morning, moving to 17 under and three behind Els, while defending champion Retief Goosen was also trying to put on a charge with three birdies and one bogey on the front nine lifting him to 15 under.

Youngster Louis Oosthuizen played an equally blistering front nine as he did in the third round to post a four-under 31 and move to 14 under for the day.

Englishmen Sam Walker and Richard Finch both posted rounds of 66 to be the pick of those out early, with their countryman Justin Walters just behind them on five under for the day and 10 under for the tournament.